Be still...

... my heart.


These four, simple words fully capture the way I felt the first time I stepped through the door of Americo Original.
It was all I could do to keep from not forgetting to breathe in and breathe out....

Warning!
Gratuitous and wantonly tempting yarn shop/nirvana photos ahead

This Queen Street West location, a few doors down from Bathurst, has become a Toronto yarn lovers mecca of all things lush and lovely.

Tempting baskets filled with fantastic pima cotton in a thick and thin fingering weight...

... snuggled next to bodaciously, bulky butter-soft wools.


There are loose, calling reelings of smooth, cool cottons in the most lovely shades...


... and gently twisted skeins of warm wools.


Ooooh... and lookie at what we have here! A whole wall of Winter Flame--- that seductive alpaca/wool of Mothed fame!
If I were asked, "if you could only knit with one yarn for the rest of your life, what would that one yarn be?" I would not hesitate on an answer. Americo Winter Flame!
The colours... the hand... the drape!
Sometimes I think it is fortunate I live about two hours away. Any closer and I could easily become The Crazy Yarn Lady because of my potential daily "fix".


Such lucky kniterati Toronto has!
Such a gem of a shop!!



Oh, and not to worry if you swoon and faint from fibre overload....

...even the copper ceiling is something to inspire.

A gift...

... from me to you to celebrate Gifted.

A free pattern!!

Not every idea and every pattern can fit between the covers of one itty, bitty book. Sometimes a design or two must be shelved. Gifted had such moments. But, fret not! Dust barely began to collect on that shelf before I saw a good reason to bring out this "gifty" idea for all to make.

Cinched!

This is a fun, quick felted belt that makes my heart sing...
Very few things thrill me like a good stripe. With Cinched I am able to play with colours, stripe widths and spacings while formulating new ways to use colour when designing larger projects.


I'm on my third Cinched. Unfortunately, for those around me, I have been closeting my creations for my own, personal use. I know..... baaaaaaaaad gift maker ;).
FYI, I feel there is absolutely nothing wrong in practicing a project--- many, many, many times if needed--- until I feel happy enough to wrap it up and give it away. That is my story and I am sticking to it....


Here is a link to the Ravelry page so you can save it in your library and queue it up. And here is a link to the pattern on my website.
Happy Cinch-ing!

My, oh my...

... something fun, fabulous and FREE for the weekend!


Knitting Daily TV has offered up a pattern from Gifted that is one of my personal favourites!!
I have an armful amount in assorted colours that I love to pile on to gussy up my “uniform” of jeans and gray T’s.
For “gifting” I group them in threes and tie them together with a pretty ribbon.
This is such a great way to use up all the odds and sods in your stash....
Dig up all those walnut sized leftovers of colourful sock yarn you have squirreled away!!
Imagine how fantastic they would look as the wrapper yarn!!!
Oooooohhhhhhhh....
Here is a pic of some of my original prototypes. What did I tell you? Gray T and jeans... ;-)



I'd love to see what masterpieces you come up with.
Pleeeeease post them on my Gifted Facebook page so we all can see them!!

I was web wondering...

..., because it is Wednesday, and look what I found!


Apparently, one of the segments I taped for Knitting Daily TV aired and the free pattern for the project I demonstrated is yours for the taking! The scarf is an homage to Paris with a heavy "reduce, reuse, recycle" bend. Be warned... you will be expected to make you own "yarn". The segment is all about raiding your drawers and closets for inspiring textiles to cut up and knit! Yes, I know, as if our collective stash were not big enough. But, really, think of all the possibilities! Download the "Paris Recycled" pattern and you will then see some lovely detail shots.... me like!
I wish I could tell you more about the airings of Knitting Daily TV. You'll have to check your local PBS listing. Go figure, the Rochester, NY carrier we pick up from the other side of that big lake does not run the program... why I otta!

The project is included in the latest book edited by the ever-fabulous Ann Budd. Knitting Green should be hitting shelves in early May. Do look for it!


I lifted the picture of the elusive Ms. Budd from the Knitting Daily site just in case you wish to catch a snippet of her knitterly allure...


I've yet to see the book and have no idea what the final layout included. When I sent Ann my scarf and "pattern" I also included the story of my scarf. I don't know how much of it was used in the final edit so I have included it below in it's entirety...

Paris Recycled

Lately, being green to me has less to do with acquiring new “green things” --- although I do believe this to be very good and very important as the glow of a compact florescent illuminates my desktop-- but more to do with re-purposing, re-creating and “new“ using the things I have already amassed.
Before I donate, throw into the recycle bin , or --gasp-- toss something out completely I try to take time to consider what I can do to turn this "thing" I already have into something I want and will use....
Chipped and broken plates and cups are stored away waiting to be transformed into a colorful garden mosaic; old, worn jeans and overalls are piled fresh and ready in a box to be cut and pieced into a hardy, homespun comforter; special cast-offs of luscious fibres that once hung in my closet wait folded in a basket to be used as a lining or a pillow back or something else new, useful and pretty.
Hence, my Knitting Green project….
On my first trip to Paris-- ahem, let's just say a few years back-- I purchase a long, lovely, smoky blue silk skirt. I had come upon a little boutique just off of Avenue des Champs-Élysées that was filled with all sorts of silky thrills. After a very long time touching and sniffing and snuggling and trying on I deemed one special skirt to be mine. I adored it! The only problem... it was encircled with a bazillion ¾” knife pleats and after a few years the allure of a high maintenance piece of clothing-- as fabulously “Parisian” that it was-- faded. I eventually ended up tossing it in the wash to see what would happen. It came out still long and still smoky blue but without the pleats it was never the same. It had hung in my closet-- unworn-- for years. Every Spring Cleaning I would pull it out, toss it onto the donate pile, pick it out of the donate pile and re-hang it. "Maybe I'll wear it this year... I bought it in Paris!". Eventually it ended up in a basket in my studio waiting for purpose.
Well, with the aid of a straight edge and a rotary cutter the new raison d’etre of my Parisian skirt showed itself..... a soft, lovely, smoky blue silk--- scarf! It would be knit as long as the knotted lengths would allow in simple garter stitch with a few dropped stitch rows tossed in for subtle interest.
I stitched a little hand-stamped label onto the scarf. Just in case my memory fails… I’ll always have Paris!

To paraphrase...

... a famous Canadian, Mike Meyers....

I'm not worthy!!!

Thank you, all, for making my MQW the #1 pattern download at Knitting Daily not only for one... but two years running! WOW!!!

click on the image above to get your copy!

Homecoming...

...for the Modern Quilt Wrap!
After a grand tour Trunk Show of North America for the book Folk Style, my wrap is back.... for good!!!
I forgot how lovely the colours are...

it is oh so soft and light...
... me happy!

Knitty is up...

... and one of my designs is in it!!!
Grab your sticks and click here to get to it!

Cold hands...

... need a warm gift.

I made these warm, snugly mittens for a young lady named, Marelis. She was born and raised in hot, humid, sultry Cuba. So, exactly why did I make her mittens? Well, she is about to endure her first winter in cold, damp, very un-sultry England.

They were quick to make!! I knit both hands--- while figuring out the pattern--- in one casual evening and then knit the thumbs, stitched the snowflakes and sewed up the seams the next. They are knit flat so the stitching can be done easily.

They are now winging their way across the Atlantic and will hopefully arrive before the first snow flies...

I have written up the pattern so you can warm some hands this winter, also.

Click here to download a free copy.

Now you have one less excuse to not gift handmade this Christmas...

POOF.....

... there went September... and a good chunk of October, to boot!!

This time of year always seems to get away from me..... putting away summer's diversions and readying a welcome for the coming cold.

I have also been busy preparing "background stuff" for an exciting announcement that will keep me happily focused for the foreseeable future. Nothing has been "finalized" so I wish not to jinx myself with a premature happy dance.

Speaking of happy dances.... today, in Canada, is Thanksgiving Day!!!!

I can’t think of a better way to share my bounty than to offer a pattern for a bag that I keep making and making and making and making for myself and friends…. enjoy!

Yes, the yarn has been discontinued…. those who have loved this yarn still feel the pain. I have suggested a few subs in the pattern, but I would love to hear– and see– what you come up with!
Click here for a copy!

Happy Knitting and Bird/Pig Day!